The Veto Vote

Baskin-Robbins has announced the most radical new product roll-out in its 62-year history. Next year each of its 2400 US outlets will begin offering soft serve ice cream … you know … the Dairy Queen stuff.

Said a Baskin-Robbins spokesperson, "This helps us overcome the veto vote, when a child wants a soft-serve cone."

The "veto vote" is an interesting concept.

How might it apply in fundraising?

Your prospect is leaning toward "Yes" … almost ready to get out their checkbook or credit card … but then one last thought, some apprehension stops them. A mental veto occurs. What is it?

The answer likely differs in its specifics for each nonprofit. But there are undoubtedly some underlying generic sources of concern that typically stall out the giving decision.

Concerns like: my gift won’t make a difference … do I really know enough about this group? … might there be a better way to make an impact … do I really think they can pull this off … maybe I should just sleep on this a bit.

It might be a valuable exercise to reflect on what the "veto vote" might be for your organization and its core fundraising proposition. At bottom, this is just another way to put yourself in your donor’s shoes (i.e., head and heart). And you can never fail to gain fundraising insight by doing that.

One Response to “The Veto Vote”

I’m a vegetarian; other three family members are not. Thus I’m the veto vote when we eat out. When we opt for fast food, it’s always Burger King because they have a veggie burger in every franchise, no matter how far out in the boonies you are.

My example and the Baskin-Robbins example are all about choice. Do you let your donors pay by credit card online, or do you make them get out the checkbook (heaven forbid at my house)? Can they direct their gifts to certain programs easily? Do you offer a monthly payment plan where I can “set it and forget it”? Choice is how you overcome the veto vote, even if only a small percentage of your customers exercise the option.